Socastee outraces Myrtle Beach a year after being blown out by 70 points

What a difference a year makes.

Socastee used a nearly unstoppable offense and opportunistic defense to cruise past Myrtle Beach 51-34 on Friday night to remain unbeaten.

Senior quarterback Hunter Illing was 17-for-24 passing for 315 yards in the win.

“I’ve been telling them they can play this game at a high level,” Socastee coach Doug Illing said. “They’ve just got to keep believing in themselves. Tonight was reinforcement that we can be a pretty good team if we stick together and play together. They did that tonight, so I’m really proud of them.”

The Braves (3-0) got started quickly when Kenny Solomon returned an interception 75 yards for a score on Myrtle Beach’s first possession.

The Seahawks answered soon after with the first of three rushing touchdowns by Jermani Green. Preston Carter had a 22-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 10-7 for the Braves, but Myrtle Beach responded with another Green touchdown to take its only lead of the game at 14-10 with 8:10 left in the first half.

Dashaun Myers scored on a 6-yard run and Hunter Illing threw the first of his four touchdown passes, this one to Edward Tucker, to give Socastee a 24-14 lead.

Green’s third score cut the gap to 24-21 with 2:42 left in the second quarter before Illing and the Braves added a pair of quick scores, one on a 66-yard connection to Devin Stamp and the other a 25-yard pass to Tucker to take a 38-21 lead into halftime.

Illing threw another touchdown pass to Stamp and rushed for a score in the second half, helping the Braves top the Seahawks for just the third time in the last 17 meetings between the schools. Myrtle Beach defeated Socastee 70-0 last season.

Sophomore Luke Doty started at quarterback for Myrtle Beach (1-3), and was 23-for-34 passing for 277 yards and three interceptions. Senior Lawson Cribb, who missed two games with a high-ankles sprain, replaced Doty in the third quarter, and finished with 141 passing yard on a 10-for-14 effort with a pair of interceptions and two scoring passes, one to Marcus Grissett and the other to Doty.

Doug Illing said the win over longtime rivals was important, but it was also just a step toward the ultimate goal.

“I’m mighty proud of our kids. We’re preparing for a bigger moment. It just happened to be Myrtle Beach this week,” he said.

The Braves travel to unbeaten North Myrtle Beach next week.

Turning point

Socastee’s 31-point offensive outburst in the second quarter, keyed by three touchdown passes in the quarter by Illing. The second touchdown was set up by Kenny Solomon’s second INT of the game.

Key performers

Hunter Illing, Socastee: 17-for-24 passing for 315 yards and three touchdowns, one rushing TD.

Dashaun Myers, Socastee: 17 carries for 110 yards and a TD.

Edward Tucker, Socastee: three INTs, 5 catches for 110 yards and a TD

Devin Stamp, Socastee: 8 catches for 178 yard and two TDs

By the numbers

6

Turnovers committed by Myrtle Beach – five interceptions and a lost fumble.

3

Times Myrtle Beach has allowed 50 or more points this season. Also the number of Seahawks losses through four games.

418

Combined passing yards for Myrtle Beach quarterbacks Lawson and Doty.

They said it

“[The Seahawks are] a good football team. They’ve been turning it over and just hurting themselves. We just wanted to continue trying to get underneath routes, get hands on balls, make deflections or picks, whatever we could do, and lo and behold, that’s what we did.” – Socastee coach Doug Illing

Up next

Myrtle Beach: at Carolina Forest

Socastee: at North Myrtle Beach

This story was originally published September 9, 2017 at 12:09 AM with the headline "Socastee outraces Myrtle Beach a year after being blown out by 70 points."